Use These 4 Maintenance Ideas for a Leak-Free Home

As a homeowner here in Lombard, IL, you’ve got a full plate, between home maintenance, repairs and taking steps to keeping operating costs down.

If you focus on some of your home’s systems, like your plumbing for instance, you can zero-in effectively on proactive maintenance that will save you time and money in the long run.

Here are a series of plumbing maintenance tips that will keep your home leak-free and/or help you mitigate the impact of potential damage from water leaks.

Water Pressure Needs to be Regulated

There is no denying the lure of a strong, hot shower, but when you realize what the speed and the strength of that water are doing to your pipes, you might change your mind.

Water pressure needs to be in a moderate zone in order to avoid hammering at your pipes and causing leaks.

If you have trouble keeping it under 60 psi, it is highly recommended to get your plumber to install a water pressure regulator for you. As a side note, putting in a low-flow showerhead, doesn’t impact your water pressure in the pipes itself. It just helps to regulate the flow out of the fixture.

Finding Leaks Fast

A very small leak can mean very big water damage, so don’t let appearances fool you. That’s why you should actively try to find leaks however you can … before they have a chance to develop further.

Make a checklist and look at all your piping on a regular basis. Trouble signs include moisture, pooling water, rust, mold growth, damp spots, discoloration or peeling paint.

Other signs can include the sounds of rushing water behind the walls, rising water bills that can’t be explained, sunken patches on your lawn and cold spots to the touch on your walls and/or floors.

Don’t Use Commercial Drain Cleaners

If you are trying to remove a clog yourself, the first thing that you might do is reach for a commercial drain cleaner. This is a bad idea.

Not only are you releasing harmful toxins into your home’s atmosphere, the harsh chemicals in the cleaners literally attack your pipes and try to eat through them. This will cause leaks. Instead, call your plumber to use their plumbing snake or hydro-jetting technology.

Corrosion in Your Pipes

Your plumbing is sturdy until it runs into rust, which means that leaks will soon appear. You can slow the growth of corrosion by installing a water softener.

You can also consider changing any older copper pipes to PVC. Make sure to test your water quality and PH balance on a regular basis.

In addition to the leak damage that comes from corroded pipes, you don’t want your family’s water to come in contact with rust either.

These plumbing tips will help keep your plumbing in sustainable shape to deliver good quality water to improve your family’s health.